Do You Believe in Ghosts?
by PSULucky
Summary: Join Mario and Luigi as they throw a party in their new mansion. What was once a seemingly amazing place, it turned out to be a lethal trap from the beginning. And the worst part is...are you witnessing truth? Or are you only exposed to horrid illusion?
1. Part 1 dash 1

Why hello! It's PSULucky here with another fan fiction that I hope you will enjoy! As you can see, the title of this story is 'Do You Believe in Ghosts?'. This is a fan fiction involving deceit, and determining whether or not you are witnessing something true, or just a myth.

Also, I'd appreciate it if you would check out my other fan fiction 'Murder in the Mushroom Kingdom'. I t might be something that you are interested in.

Disclaimer: I own nothing except for the character 'Phanta'.

* * *

**Do You Believe in Ghosts?**

**The eerie atmosphere...the gloomy rain...the hazy forest...and most of all, the mysterious mansion. This mysteriousness not only came from the horrid things found outside the mansion, but what had once gone on inside. Once an unowned mansion this was, until two certain plumbers attempted to face their fears and reveal whether or not these stories were indeed true.**

**. . . . . . .. . .. . . . .... . ... . .. . . . . . .. ..**

**What you are about to witness is debatable:...did this tale of horror truly take place, or was this all just a lying illusion?**

**. . .. . . . . ....**

**But there's only one way to answer that question...**

**. . . . . ..... .**

**And a few key parts to take note of before you, too, witness this extraordinary event...**

**.. .... ..... .. .. ..**

**Don't let your mind play tricks on you...**

**. . . . . .**

**also...**

**. . . . . .**

**Once you enter, there's no turning back...**

**. . . . . .**

**and most importantly...**

**. . . . . .**

**Do you believe in ghosts?**

**.. . .. . . .... .. . . . .... .. ... . .. . . ... . .**

**. .. ..**

**.. ..**

**. . ..**

**..**

**.. .. .. . ..**

**. .**

**.. . .. ..**

**. ..**

**.. ..**

**. . . .**

**.**

**....**

**...**

**.**

**.**

**.**

**.. . .**

**..**

**. .**

**....**

**...**

**.**

**..**

**.**

**.**

**.**

**.......................**

**!!REMEMBER-NO TURNING BACK!!**

Part 1-It All Begins

Part 1-1

_October 18, 2002_

_I've seen two foolish men enter the mansion today. But why are they there? Do they plan to fall into my very own trap? After all these years? I must do more investigating..._

_October 19, 2002_

_I have watched there every move as they go about the mansion. I'm starting to think that this might be their very home? Can that be possible?_

_The stupid one in the green appears to be quite clueless to the horrors of the mansion. At least the man in red is taking note that things might not be as they seem. Once, I've even talk to the green guy about moving, who stupidly (and fortunately) refused to leave._

_October 20, 2002_

_This is the third day that these two have stayed in the mansion, and I am quite certain that they now live there. Foolish of them to think that they could live at the mansion without any harm done. They don't even know about my evil plans of world destruction! Now that they live at the mansion, it will only be a matter of time before I take action and fulfill my thousand year plans!_

The Mario brothers were both in the kitchen of the mansion, talking amongst themselves about something to 'spruce up their lives', as they put it. The mansion was truly gloomy, and the lack of civilization was really starting to get to them.

"Ya know, we haven't seen Peach recently..." Luigi said, bringing about the matter quite nonchalantly. Apparently he was interested again to actually talk with people other than Mario.

"That's true..." His brother mumbled, not entirely thrilled by the not exciting idea of possibly inviting Peach over. What? Invite her over for some tea, or something? How boring..., "I mean, we've got this huge mansion, and hardly anybody knows about it!"

"That's true..." Luigi nodded. He had a feeling that he knew what Mario was trying to hint to him..., "Well, we can throw a party...?"

The red-capped plumber nodded, smiling a sly kind of smile. It was the kind of smile someone would use when their thousand year old plan was going to be a success, "Precisely..."

_October 20, 2002_

_The fat one wants to throw a party, and the stupid one agreed to it! They are playing perfectly into my hands! With this party, my plans may be fulfilled sooner than I thought. And better yet, they're inviting tons of people over to witness the destruction of their world!_

Luigi rushed to the telephone to begin calling some of their dearest friends. A party would most certainly give a little action to their boring lives, and the to brothers were both excited to throw one, "Peach? Party at the mansion at 6:30 tonight!"

"Oh, really?" Luigi heard the princess say. She sounded quite surprised and happy to finally ere from the Mario brothers again. Apparently this purchase of the mansion was really screwing up relationships and social activity, "I'll be over. And I'll make that special cheese cake ya guys love!"

Luigi could already feel a surge of excitement spread throughout his body, "Well, we'll see you then!"

"You can come Daisy? Great!" Mario heard his brother say into the telephone as he began to preheat the oven in the kitchen, "Hey, Mario! We're 6 outta 6 so far! No one's turned this awesome offer down!"

"How could they?" Mario jokingly asked. A party in such a cool mansion? What more could you ask for? And on top of that, music, food, and, most importantly, Peach's cheese cake would pose as a welcoming surprise for the party guests.

Hey! You there! Yes you! The weird looking person sitting in front of the computer. YES YOU! Have you already forgotten the three rules mentioned?! At the moment, take a gander at number 1-"don't let your mind play tricks on you". You should have already made a big note of the second sentence in the previous paragraph-"A party in such a cool mansion". This might obviously not be such an accurate phrase, if you've been reading along. If you've noted something about that, then congratulations, you should continue on. But if not...take this time to realize your mistakes and look deeper into the words before you scurry through it all. For those of you who took no notice that that phrase is highly incorrect, try and figure out a way that that phrase would be correct. This will involve examining the words in a little more detail. But come on, guys, this isn't that hard. And if you have no idea what I am even talking about, then you aren't going to last very long in this...

ANYWAY...

The green-capped plumber examined the piece of paper he held in his hands. On it, were as follows:

**People **

X-Peach

X-Daisy

X-Rosalina

Yoshi

Birdo

X-Toad

X-Toadette

X-Toadsworth

Wario

Waluigi

_October 20, 2002_

_They act so excited. It makes me sick._

It was later in the night. About 6:15, to be more exact. The outside was already starting to show its night-like appeal, and it was a bit creepy. Luigi was cooking some food while Mario inspected the house to ensure that everything was in order.

"Hey, Luigi, don't you know how to close the front door?!" Mario almost yelled. Luigi, surprised, peeked out the kitchen to see what Mario had been talking about. Close the front door? Luigi had been outside about a half hour ago, and he would surely remember whether or not he shut the door. And besides, it obviously wasn't open like that for a half hour, unnoticed, "I didn't leave it open..."

"Well, somebody had to..." Mario sighed, shaking his head and shutting the door, "And why is the thermostat turned down?! It's freezing in here!"

Again, Luigi looked out at Mario, who appeared to be adjusting the temperature. The green-capped plumber hadn't even touched the thermostat...

The two could both sense something...not right. Indeed, something was definitely wrong with whatever atmosphere they were in. They could not say for certain what was wrong, but it was quite clear that Luigi didn't suddenly become a useless idiot and leave the front door open and turn the thermostat down.

Something was coming...but as of yet, they had no idea _what_ that something was...


	2. Part 1 dash 2

I have to admit...this part is a little creepy. But that is what you can most certainly expect for the rest of the story. Enjoy!  


* * *

**Part 1-2**

_October 20, 2002_

_I'm greatly anticipating the party. The look on all of their faces when my plan is complete will please me greatly..._

DING! DONG! The doorbell's loud ring began reverberating through the mansion. Luigi was the first to take action, for his brother mysteriously disappeared upstairs.

"Luigi!" Daisy said, excitedly. She flung herself unexpectedly into his arms; the duo hadn't seen each other in quite a while, and they didn't want to ruin such a powerful relationship.

"I'm so glad you could come!"

The guests began arriving quickly after. Wario and Waluigi first...then Peach and the Toads, followed by the rest. They were escorted into the ballroom after exclaiming how amazing the mansion was. The brothers couldn't help but to smile as they ranted and raved over the extravagant mansion.

"Hmmm...I smell something good..." Yoshi murmured, looking from brother to brother. This reminded Mario of the food they were making. He disappeared from the crowd and made his way into the kitchen...

"So, here's the ballroom..." Luigi explained, showing the mesmerized guests the large room. He sensed a pleased vibe from them all, and couldn't help but to notice that they all, again, muttered amazed phrases.

"Wow, this place is amazing..." Birdo said, in a slight trance. She seemed as though she had been hypnotized by the mansion's amazing decor and expansive size.

"I've gotta admit..." Wario began, looking up at his brother who was nodding in agreement to something Wario hadn't even said yet, "This is pretty amazing..."

"It might just be more enchanted than my Comet Observatory!" Rosalina remarked.

"Hehe..." Luigi laughed a little bit. He could tell that they were both certainly impressed and jealous of their mansion. For once, the Mario brothers had something truly amazing they could show off...

_October 20, 2008_

_The party guests keep saying that the mansion is incredible. I'm not sure why they say and think that. They most certainly wont like it by the end of the night._

_I will start my plan soon. I will first wait for it to get darker and later before I begin. I'm quite anxious, but I must be patient._

The party had started. All of the food had been served in a buffet-like manor, and it was quite apparent that the guests were greatly enjoying themselves.

The ballroom was lit up like a nightclub. Tons of colorful lights blinked and shined wildly, while music loudly played from a huge sterio system. Some people were dancing crazily to the music played, while others merely sat among the chairs by the walls and chatted...which was exactly was Luigi and Daisy were doing at that very moment.

"So...Luigi? You wanna get me a drink?" Daisy asked, teasingly. The plumber smiled and nodded, standing up and heading to the far end of the ballroom, where the drinks were found.

"This mansion is surprisingly...awesome..." Wario admitted, entirely envious. His brother nodded in agreement, picking at some of the food her had on his plate.

"I'm surprised the Mario Bros managed to get something like this, ya know?" Waluigi mentioned.

"Uh huh. I was wondering the same thing...It's kind of a creepy place though, isn't it? I mean..." Wario trailed off and found himself staring sadly at an empty plate. He lazily stood up and waddled his way over to the piles of delicious food.

Luigi found himself staring blankly at the wide assortment of drinks that lined the table. But that wasn't the only thing he saw. Etched hideously into the woodwork of the table was the word 'Phanta'. The green-capped plumber shrieked quietly and investigated the word more closely. But was it really a word? He was pretty sure that no such word existed...but then, what did the letters mean?

He quickly grabbed a random drink, eager to get out of the creepy area. And even yet, he could have sworn that that particular area was frighteningly cold...

"Uhh...hey Daisy..." He returned back to her with the drink. She nodded in satisfaction, which greatly pleased him. He wasn't entirely in favor of going back and getting the whole 'this is the creepiest thing ever' kind of vibe again...

_October 20, 2008_

_Not long ago, I have left a bone-chilling clue for the foolish green guy. I had secretly etched 'Phanta' into the woodwork of one of the tables in the mansion. This was done in order to frighten him. But this was a mere little treat that I am preparing. My next plans will be much more violent. And if I'm indeed correct, I can telepathically influence the fat man and his brother to witness something truly horrible._

**Wow, do I not feel great**, Mario said to himself, leaning his head against the wall. He closed his eyes and inhaled deep breathes.

"Mario?" Peach noticed him feeling not-so-fantastic, "Are you okay? Is anything wrong?"

"No...I-I'm fine..." Mario said, sitting down slowly and uncomfortably. It was quite apparent that he wasn't feeling extremely well. If anything, it looked as though he'd burst right then and there...

"I don't think so..." Peach said, sitting next to him. She watched as he slowly looked up at her...but she didn't see what she had expected to see. No, it was horrible! His face...was covered with blood.

Peach screamed, running out of the ballroom, tears in her eyes. What on Earth was going on?! The princess immediately dashed into the kitchen, slamming the door shut. She sobbed and sobbed, the sight of Mario's bloody face never leaving her mind...

"Peach, what's the matter with you?!" She heard Mario call from outside the door. Peach sprang up in surprise, startled to here her love's voice. But she continued to cry, and stupidly tried to push the door, so Mario couldn't get in. She didn't even think of locking the door to make the whole thing much easier.

"No! Get away! I don't want to see you!" Peach cried, slouching by the door. She could feel the tears drip unendingly onto her beautiful pink dress.

"Peach! Let me in!" Mario shoved open the door, surprised to see that he had just pushed Peach violently. Never did he expect her to be guarding the door as though she didn't want anyone to enter.

"Get away!" Peach screamed, covering her eyes with her hands. Never again did she want to see that horrible sight. The blood...the scars...the insane violence that she had seen. It was too horrible.

"Peach..." Mario said gently, pushing her hands away from eyes, "What's wrong?"

The princess suddenly stopped crying. She stopped screaming. All of her violent outbursts were calmed, and she began wiping the tears from her eyes with amazement. Mario's face was completely fine...

* * *

This is just the beginning...and this marks 1 point for illusion, and 0 points for truth. But beware...you'll never know when you will face something truly horrid.


	3. Part 1 dash 3

I'm glad to announce that the new part is here, Part 1-3. Nothing very creepy happens in this part, because I've saved that up for 1-4 and more parts after that. But anyway, I hope you like this chapter, and I'd greatly appreciate it if someone would review this fan fiction.

* * *

**Part 1-3**

_October 20, 2002_

_They have escorted the princess back into the ballroom, where she weeps unendingly. My illusion will most certainly bring her to insanity by the end of the night. For now, I will focus my next trick on the fat one and his brother._

"I just don't get it..." Daisy said to Luigi at one end of the ballroom. Almost twenty minutes had passed since the unpleasant scene. Peach was found insisting about what she saw, while others stared nervously at each other. The story seemed very far-fetched...but it was for that very reason why they slightly believed her. They absolutely knew that Peach wouldn't make something like that up, so they felt a little wary of their surroundings.

"What don't you get?" Replied Luigi after a long moment of silence. He had figured that she was talking about the princess, but he asked her just to be sure.

"Peach, obviously. I mean, she's not the kind of person to go making that kind of stuff up, ya know?"

Luigi nodded, but restrained from replying. Daisy was, indeed, right. And this began making him feel a bit frightened inside. This horrid event even made the plumber bring back the eerie chill that the word 'Phanta' had caused...

"Peach, please..." The heard Mario pleading from the end of the ballroom, while Yoshi and Birdo speculated cautiously. Wario and Waluigi were found standing away from the scene at a far distance, while the others merely chatted amongst themselves about both the frightening instance, as well as anything on their minds...

"Princess..." Yoshi said quietly, "Do you want some rest?"

But Peach didn't even hear him. She just went on rabbling about the horrible sight. It was at that very moment that Mario concluded that rest was most certainly what she needed...

"Peach, let me take you upstairs...and you can try to fall asleep in one of the guest bedrooms, okay?" Mario asked, hoping that Peach wouldn't try and put up a fight. Thankfully, she didn't, and she took his hand and pulled herself up off the chair.

_October 20, 2002_

_I am waiting patiently for one of them to notice the star girl's disappearance. I have drugged her drink, and now she is being mindlessly being controlled by my powers._

_Next, I will lure the fat one and his brother to their own piece of insanity. To do this, I think I will have the green-capped guy come to his senses and figure at that star girl is missing._

Mario left Peach in the bedroom, where she found herself falling asleep awfully quickly. As he made his way back downstairs, he couldn't help but the notice the discussion of Rosalina's disappearance taking place in the ballroom.

"And Wario and Waluigi..." Luigi said, apparently the leader of this whole search party, "You will investing outside...by the graveyard..."

Such precise instructions made Wario and Waluigi a little curious. Why would Rosalina be by the graveyard, anyway? And why on Earth would Luigi suspect her to be there?! Geez, he could tell them to look around the swimming pool, or something?

"Whatever..." Wario mumbled, as Waluigi followed him and the other not-so-excited party guests out into the foyer. From there, they found themselves dispersing in their designated directions...

"You know..." Birdo said to Yoshi, while they both checked the second floor, "Do you think Peach is alright? I mean, I wouldn't want to be up here all alone..."

"I know what you mean..." Yoshi said, suddenly realizing how not-so-grand the mansion was anymore. Not only were strange things happening in it, but the whole feel became suddenly unpleasant, "Do you want to check up on her?"

"I guess so..." Birdo nodded in agreement, "And see if she's asleep or not..."

"I really don't like this, Toadsworth..." Toadette said as they walked down the stairs into the cellar, with Toad behind them. They each began feeling along the wall for a light switch, saddened to notice that none was present.

"I guess we wont have any lights to guide us..." Toadsworth mumbled, frustrated. At that very moment, all he wanted to be doing was checking up on the princess...not going on this wild goose chase...

"This isn't very safe..." Toadette pointed out, sighing. She could sense something horrifying coming from the pitch-black atmosphere in front of them. She wouldn't have been surprised if Rosalina was standing there, right in front of them, and they were stupidly overlooking her...

"Why are we even looking in the graveyard?" Wario asked, annoyed. At that very moment, he could be enjoying the party and stuffing his face with food. But, of course, when he's finally enjoying something, it turns out to be a horrible disaster.

"I still don't even think we should be here..." Waluigi said, a little nervous. He and his brother began pushing open the rusty gate that led to the creepy graveyard.

"Geez..." Wario mumbled in amazement, "Why on Earth would Mario and Luigi want to buy this house?! Don't all of these tomb stones creep them out?!"

Waluigi nodded, a disgusted and horrified look on his face. All he could see was lines of tomb stones, mixed with the heavy fog that surrounded the area. It was the perfect 'scary story' telling atmosphere...

"No..." Wario mumbled, turning around, "We're going back..."

**_"Turn around..."_**

"What...?" Wario suddenly looked his brother, who shrugged awkwardly. Both seemed highly frightened...something wasn't right, here. Who was that voice? And where did it come from?

But despite Wario's powerful self-image of himself, be began to feel weak and frightened. He started to turn his head, ever so slightly, almost wanting to comply to the evil voice.

**_"Go to the far end of the graveyard..."_** Whispered the raspy voice. The two brothers looked at each other in sheer fright, not entirely sure if they should be listening to this non-existent person.

But it was decided. If whoever this person was was watching them, they'd better follow their instructions. They each slowly approached the far end of the graveyard, noting that the air was starting to get uncomfortably cold.

"Wario..." Waluigi whispered nervously. He began slowing his pace as his brother looked back at him warily, "Let's go back..."

But Wario shook his head, not entirely sure why he wasn't listening to his brother. He wanted to go back, but something inside of him told him that it would be best to continue on. He felt almost as though he was unwillingly being controlled and forced to do something he didn't want to do...but was this just a mere feeling? Or was it real?

* * *

Hmm...who is the person speaking to Wario and Waluigi. And where did Rosalina go? At least one, if not both, of these questions will be answered in the next part.


	4. Part 1 dash 4

Hey guys, thanks to our newest reviewer, Nicholas525, I've decided to revive this fan fiction and continue posting it. And hopefully finish it.

But first, I have to inform you guys on my other two fan fictions.

**The Darkening**-I'm just taking a break from this for a little while. I have tons of ideas that I'm excited to write, but not yet. I have to get things straightened out with Murder on the Cheep Cheep Blimp, first.

**Murder on the Cheep Cheep Blimp**-So...this fan fiction will be undergoing lots of editing. Every chapter that I've posted so far will be edited. Don't worry, though, the plot won't change, and neither will the clues given. I'm just going to change its writing style to something more like this fan fiction or The Darkening. Anyway, I won't update it for a while, and I won't necessarily edit my current chapters with the edited ones (unless you want me too), but you can expect the fan fiction to come back some during the beginning of summer.

Anyway, let's get on with the story!

**

* * *

Part 1-4**

And so the hunt for Rosalina continued on. At that very moment, it was clear to say that she was indeed, missing. But how? And why? Where could she have gone? The answer would only lie in the very center of illusion...

Mario was aimlessly patrolling the front yard, looking stupidly in bushes and around trees. But something told him Rosalina wasn't just camped out under their maple tree...

"R-Rosalina?" Mario asked, his voice trembling, due to the cold weather. Somehow he felt that the missing girl but be able to hear him, even though it was quite doubtful. But at that point, he might as well call out her name...

Inside the house, and one story up, Peach was sleeping soundly in the bed, almost tired from continually rambling on about her unpleasant scene. Such thoughts about what she saw would always give her the chills...

But when it seemed like Peach would be snoozing for several more hours, she unexpectedly woke up. When she did, she sprang up from the bed, breathing loudly, and as though she was out of breathe. What a dream she must have had...

The princess rubbed her head, blinking her eyes to clear her vision at the same time. As she looked around, she couldn't help but to shiver at the previous incidents. How in the world could she have forgotten them?

The princess slowly maneuvered out of bed, her hands and legs trembling. She felt an awkward chill run up her spine as she stepped silently through the room. In the hallway, she could hear voices. They sounded very much like Yoshi and Birdo.

But then, in an instant, those voices stopped. Peach peered out the doorway, wary of what she might see outside. But the dark hallways were completely empty. Suddenly, she felt very alone...

As the princess stepped her way down the stairs in the foyer, she heard more voices...they were coming from the ballroom. As she entered, she saw everyone, including Rosalina, partying to some crazy exotic music.

"Ummm...hello?" Peach asked, not entirely sure what exactly was going on. Well, at least it seemed Rosalina had been found, and everyone was happy. Had she really been asleep for that long?

"Oh...hey Peach!" Mario said, running over to her from across the room, "Where were you?" He smiled and took her hand, pulling her gently to the middle of the ballroom.

"Umm...well, you know...I was sleeping," She gave him a quick, odd little look. Did he really forget what had happened to her? And did he seriously not remember that she had been escorted to sleep because of _him_? Him and his bloody face..., "Don't you remember?"

"Oh, yes..." Mario nodded, smiling faintly as Peach stared him in the eye, "I...I do...yes, I do remember..."

Peach weakly nodded her head, complimenting the action with a hardly recognizable smile. Then she looked down, smiled, and picked up her head again, "Do you want to dance?"

Wario and Waluigi were in for the scare of their lives, and both of them knew it. The final command of the creepy voice had been to 'turn around when you reach the tall tombstone'. But...why? What did this mean? What was going to be behind them...and why at the tombstone?

"Wa-wario..." Waluigi's voice was shaking, and his pace just continued to slacken. But Wario marched on, both frightened and curious at the same time. Although he hated to admit it, and wasn't entirely sure why he even possessed this feeling in the first place...but, he was absolutely insistent on knowing what was at this tombstone.

"L-Let's keep going, Waluigi," Wario shuddered, but continued. He didn't even turn around to comfort the trembling Waluigi, "Ah...here we are..."

Wario stopped and waited at the tombstone. But sure enough, the voice was not in favor of dawdling.

**"Now turn...turn around...and look,"**

Slowly their heads moved...very slowly. Both simultaneously gulped, but their heads just had to obey. Whatever this voice was speaking of...they had to see it. See its terribleness...its horridness...

_CRASH!_

Their eyes came in contact with the mansion, and sudden, unending lightning began to illuminate the sky, crashing down dangerously close to the mansion. By the looks of it, the small metal tower on the roof had been struck numerous times already...

But that is not what was so frightening. It was what was hanging from the piece of metal...a rope.

A rope that dangled down a few feet.

And held the now strangled Rosalina in its grasp.

And the lightning...well, it just kept coming.

And killed the dead body again...

And again.

* * *

O.O Creepy. What's going on with Peach? And...what about Rosalina?


	5. Part 1 dash 5

Sorry for the long wait for the update. But...it's here now, and you can expect updates to come much faster in the future. Now that school is basically over for me (w00t) I'll be able to find a lot more time to write. So...enjoy Part 1-5.

And note to all my readers, Part 1-4 was probably the most unsettling/worst part (with Rosalina's gruesome death). But there are still many more creepy moments to come...and, if you're having trouble following what's going on, you might want to refer to a previous part (Like 1-3, where they initially split up). Since this fan fiction was updated so irregularly for the first couple parts, there may be some confusion. But don't worry, there shouldn't be any more of that, since I'll be updating faster now. ) And besides, Part 1 will probably be the most confusing part anyway, as I'm setting up the plotline for the rest of the story. So if you're a little confused, either expect some of the next chapters to clear it up, or feel free to review with something you don't understand and I'll try my best to explain it for you. )

Now that that's over with...ON WITH THE STORY!

* * *

**Part 1-5**

"_Geez, Waluigi! Look at that!_" Wario's eyes bulged so wide, and his jaw hung so far, that it looked as if he was shocked out of all reasonable belief. What on _Earth_ was going on? And what on _Earth_ had happened to Rosalina?

Waluigi couldn't even say anything. The sight was too horrible to describe based on some kind of secondary resource...to take its horridness in completely, you'd have to be there, watching it yourself.

"Geez, we gotta go check that out!" Wario yelled, denying his once selfish and greedy personality and actually caring about Rosalina's well-being, "Let's go!" And with that, he found himself running the fastest he's ever ran in his entire life.

Waluigi started up behind him, quite slow, as his muscles were still adjusting to what he had just seen. But by the time he was out of the graveyard, he wasted no time in hightailing it up to the mansion door.

...Where he unsuspectedly spotted Mario, still continuing his search within the mansion's front yard.

"Waluigi!" The plumber called worriedly, running towards the spastic man wearing the purple cap, "What on Earth are you rushing around like this for?" And based on Waluigi's face, Mario could tell something was wrong. Seriously wrong. And it only made it about five times as worse when it was displayed on the man who normally cared for no one but himself.

"R-Rosalina!" Waluigi said, trembling uncontrollably as soon as he came to a complete stop, right in front of Mario. At that moment, Wario came bumbling up the small hill that led to the mansion porch and joined the conversation, clearly out of breath, "She's..." Waluigi couldn't even find the right words to say, "dead!"

"What?"

"It's true!" Wario yelled, "On the roof! Dead! Strangled! Electrocuted by the lightning!"

Mario just stared at Wario blankly for a moment, "Wait...what lightning?"

The duo looked at Mario as though he were crazy, both exchanging looks of immense confusion and concern, "Ummm..." Wario started, "It's raining, Mario...and there's wind, thunder, and lightning..."

The red-capped plumber was at a loss for words, "Wario...? I-I think you're mistaken..." Sure the sky was dark and exhibited some kind of brown haziness, but there definitely wasn't any booming thunder and crashing lightning. Mario's eyes and ears were the judge of that, "Wario...it's completely clear...there's no rain, not even thunder,"

"How..." Wario began, staring at Mario, trembling as he couldn't even finish his question. What was he supposed to say to Mario's remark? How would it even be logical to try and argue your case, when your entire defense simply consisted of whether it was or was not raining...?

But without any further delay, Wario grabbed Waluigi's arm and pulled him toward the mansion door, opening it and shutting it firmly behind them. Wario wanted to see this for himself...

_October 20, 2002_

_Ah yes, all confusion has broke lose. The fat man and his skinny brother received the shock of their lives, and that stupid princess who wears pink has come to quite an interesting predicament. And better yet, she doesn't even know it!_

Princess Peach and Mario were dancing in the ballroom, shoulder to shoulder and cheek to cheek. As far as she knew, everything was back to normal, and the party was going to continue on without any more mishaps.

"Oh, Mario...so...where was Rosalina after all that time...?"

"Uh-Ummm..." Mario stuttered, glancing around uneasily before he made his reply, "That's a good question...it was actually my brother who had found her. I think she was outside, but I can't be sure. It turned out she was just trying to get some alone-time..."

Peach smiled and nodded, "Well it's good that's all worked out then..." And the two continued to dance with only the noise of the music and the other guests to provide their ears company.

...

"Peach! Peach!" Daisy called, barging into the ballroom after returning from her trip to the bathroom, "Come here, quick!" The princess reluctantly let go of Mario's arms and promised him she'd be back soon. And as much as he would have liked to follow her, he could tell just by the dire tone of Daisy's voice that this was a private matter.

Once Peach was escorted into the kitchen, Daisy shut the door behind them and looked at her friend, a serious expression upon her face.

"What?" Peach asked, "What is it?"

Daisy swallowed nervously as she grabbed each of Peach's shoulders with each of her hands, and looked her directly in the eye, "Peach, when I was searching the third floor for Rosalina before, I came across something...a bit disturbing..."

Peach looked at the door as if yearning to go back into the ballroom, not entirely wanting to relive one of the most devastating sights of her life; the vision of Mario's bloodied face. But she figured she had better listen to Daisy, so she did, "Okay, let's go. Show me where it is..."

"Alright..." Daisy nodded, "But watch out...Luigi went out this way just a couple minutes ago, and I really don't want to bump into him..." Grabbing Peach's hand, Daisy led her out of the kitchen and into the foyer. No sign of Luigi, so far...

Wario and Waluigi found themselves just about to open the door that led to the roof. At that moment, Wario almost wanted to stop and turn around, too horrified to dare see what was hanging from the metal tower outside. And besides, would it even be safe, with all that lightning?

But he had to see, so he quickly pushed the door open, giving he and Waluigi a perfect view of the metal tower...

Which had nothing swinging from it.

And the lightning, which was once striking wildly and uncontrollably...was gone. Neither Wario or Waluigi could explain it. But how? What had happened? Where did the lightning, thunder, and..Rosalina go? And even the rope that she was hanging from seemingly vanished into thin air like every other horrid thing the duo had to witness. As far as they could explain, Rosalina's death had never happened at all...

"What...?" Wario asked out loud, not entirely sure what would be the appropriate thing to say, "But...I don't get it..."

Waluigi shook his head, "How? Where did Rosalina go...?" And, out of pure curiosity, he just had to run over and see it for himself. Approaching the metal tower, he spotted not even a single trace of rope...or of Rosalina's dress. But something, indeed, caught his attention...

It was the unexpectedly and dreadfully cold air around the base of the tower...found nowhere else, but there.

"Ugh..." Toadsworth moaned, looking through one of the many drawers he found in the Mario Bros' study, "To think they don't own even a single flashlight..." He shook his head in dismay and closed one of the drawers rather angrily.

"I know..." Toad nodded, looking gloomily at the ground. At the moment, the three Toads were trying to develop a way of entering the basement safely. Because as far as they knew, the light switch that should have been placed conveniently on the wall was nowhere to be found. Using a flashlight, Toadsworth's original plan, was their way of making it into the depths of the basement to not only illuminate the room at least a little bit, but to provide for their safety.

"Let's ask Luigi..." Toadette suggested, as the other two nodded in agreement, "Or Mario...whichever one we find first..."

So the three of them cleared the room and made their way back into the foyer. From there, they could see no one. They could hear no one, either. Just the sound of the music blasting in the ballroom was the only thing that could be heard.

"Luigi?" Toad called rather loudly, "Luigi?"

But there was no response.

"Where did he say he was gonna look?" Toadette asked, "You know, when he was assigning us places to look? He said he was going to look..." And then she stopped, because, frankly, she didn't really know how to finish the sentence.

"Was it the second floor, did he say?" Toadsworth asked, "Or the third floor?"

Toad jumped, "That was it! The third floor! I remember because he had to convince Daisy that there was nothing..." Toad cleared his throat, "Unsettling up there..."

"Yeah," Toadsworth nodded, realizing that Toad was right.

So up the stairs they went, first to the second floor, where they were taken, and then down a hall. Toad was naturally made the leader of the group, the one who went first, probably because he was the most physically fit of the three. Not that there was another to watch out for...right?

* * *

Hmmmmm...what could possibly be going on now? Do you think this search will be successful? Why don't you tell me what you think in a review?


	6. Part 1 dash 6

Phew! The new part's here, along with some good news. Since I realized that this fan fiction is a lot more liked than I had once thought, and that I'm now certain I will continue to write it, updates will come a lot faster. There should be 2-3 new parts every week, so that way I can keep the story running smoothly.

Also, check back again tomorrow. There's a good chance I'll have another part up then. =D

Anyway, thanks guys for your support, and enjoy the new part. )

**

* * *

Part 1-6**

At that moment Daisy was escorting Peach through the second floor, keeping quiet and entertaining the princess with a brief introduction as to what she requested her presence for, "Okay...Luigi and Mario are keeping something really...disturbing on the third floor..."

"What?"

"Disturbing..." Daisy repeated, "I can't rea-Shhh! Did you hear that?" Daisy grabbed Peach and pulled her into the first room she found. The lights were off and everything was quiet, but that was the atmosphere Daisy would have preferred...because something was outside. She wasn't really sure what, but the sounds of someone's footsteps reverberated through some distant all rather loudly.

"Did I hear what?" Peach asked, confused. She peeked her head outside the door, spotted no one, and was then unexpectedly forced back into the room by Daisy.

"Don't do that!" The flower-loving princess whispered harshly, "If we get caught..." Daisy led Peach further back into the room, clearly frightened by whoever was outside, "Just whatever you do...don't get caught by Luigi...or Mario, for that matter,"

Peach nodded and stumbled onto a nearby chair, having difficulty finding it due to the extreme darkness, "Ummm, Daisy, are you sure someone's out there?"

Daisy nodded, but Peach couldn't really see it. But then she added, "Yes! There was definitely someone out there! I mean...I heard them, at least. Footsteps in the distance,"

Peach sighed, "_In the distance_..." She repeated Daisy's words, "Isn't there something funny about that to you? I mean, considering the footsteps weren't anywhere nearby, and you haven't heard them since, do you really think there's someone close to us?"

"Uh-ummm..." Daisy began, "That's a good point..." She stood up from the box she was sitting on, "Let's go..."

So the duo went back out into the hall and resumed their journey. And, indeed, Peach was right. There was no one absolutely no one. They went down a hall...turned down another...opened a door or two out of curiosity...

"_Daisy_!" The sound of a familiar voice penetrated the silence in which they walked. The owner of the voice sounded, close...very close.

And then he revealed himself, by stepping from the eerie shadows of the hall and blocking the two princess' path. It was Luigi, "Where do you think you're going?" He asked, his facial expression blank and unmoving.

"Err..." Daisy muttered, "W-we were just looking for a bathroom..."

"Well there's one right here..." Luigi said flatly, pointing to the door which just so happened to be right next to them, "But I need you for something else..." He gave her a faint smile and took her arm, "Come with me...I need your help in the basement,"

And without any further words, the duo disappeared back down the hall in which Peach and Daisy had initially come from. Peach was now alone...and Daisy was in a rather strange situation. But Peach wasn't going to give up so easily. Whatever Daisy wanted her to see...she was going to find. After all, if her dark-haired counterpart could find it, so could she.

Birdo and Yoshi were exploring the second floor in search of Rosalina. They searched the conservatory, a bedroom or two, a bathroom, and a variety of other rooms. But they seemed to be back at square one. Sure there were a few other places which they could search, but did they honestly believe Rosalina would be hiding in a random room? No, they didn't.

"Should we check up on Peach?" Yoshi asked. They were now back standing directly in front of the room the princess was escorted to earlier.

"Let's not, dear..." Birdo started, "She's probably sleeping. And I really don't think it'll be good if we wake her up. Let her get her sleep,"

"Well..." Yoshi said," I suppose you're right. She's been through a lot..." And with that, the duo escorted themselves the balcony that overlooked the first floor of the mansion.

Toad, Toadette, and Toadsworth were all on the third floor, looking intently for Luigi. It was rather...unpleasant. After all, it was practically just as dark as it was up there as it was in the basement. But at least they could see each other, for whatever it was worth.

"Where's Luigi? Can you hear him?" Toadsworth asked. But when no one replied out of sheer confusion, he suddenly muttered, "What on Earth is going on around here? Rosalina's gone missing...the whole place doesn't have a single light on...and now Luigi's disappeared somewhere here on the third floor..."

Toad just turned and looked at him for a little while. The old man sure wasn't taking this well...but really, were any of them? No, they weren't...but at least they were better at handling it. But still, Toadsworth was right. As far as they were concerned, they were all alone in a dark, cold mansion with nothing to help them..., "Toadsworth...I..." But Toad didn't really know what to say.

"Oh, this is terrible!" Toadette realized, just now understanding the kind of horrible predicament they were in, "What're we gonna do? Luigi? Lu-iiiii-giii! Where are you?" The girl stopped walking and covered her face with her hands. Toad wasn't really sure if she was crying, but it was quite apparent that she was very unhappy, regardless.

"It's okay, Toadette. Please, we'll be alright...we'll all get out of this okay..." And then he stopped, for he could sense a trembling in his tone of voice. And if Toadette knew _he_ was starting to get nervous, then she'd only break down even more.

"Toad?" A familiar voice asked. The three Toads turned their head in the direction of the voice, which, conveniently, was right in front of them. Wow! It was Luigi! "Are you guys okay?" Behind him was Daisy, a concerned look on her face. She could tell by the severity of Toadette's calling that something was clearly wrong.

"Oh..." Toad muttered, "Uh-ummm...well, do you know where the batteries are? I mean...the basement's pitch dark..."

Luigi just laughed, "Guys, the light switch is right on the wall. You know the stairs that you go down? Well, there's a switch directly to the right,"

Toadette shook her head, "No there's not! There's no light switch at all! It's just a blank wall, Luigi!" She put her head in her hands and then audibly started to cry.

"Oh, Toadette..." Daisy went over to console her while the boys continued their discussion about the existence of the light switch.

"Are you sure there's nothing there?" Luigi asked, concerned.

"Absolutely..." Toad said, "We looked for a minute or two, but it wasn't there. And...well, you know the basement's so dark...we didn't know what was down there. And besides, we're not gonna be able to find Rosalina down there when we could hardly find our footing..."

Toad was right, and Luigi realized it, "Well...there should be a few flashlights in the storage room. Check the door in the ballroom...do you want me to come with you?"

Toad and Toadsworth nodded, "Yeah...just to be sure..."

And with that, the five of them started walking down the hallway towards the stairs.

Daisy suddenly added, "Hey Luigi, now that we've checked the third floor, wanna check outside? I mean...where else will we go...?" The two exchanged a quick look for just a second, and then simultaneously looked ahead.

"That's true..." Luigi nodded, "Why don't you go out there now? You could start looking while we find the flashlights," He glanced back at her, an earnest look on his face.

Daisy smiled and nodded, "Good idea,"

* * *

Hmmm...Luigi's developing into an interesting character.

And...where's Rosalina? Did Wario and Waluigi really see her die? Or...is she really dancing in the ballroom with the others as Peach had seen during the last part? Hmmm...there's a lot to be answered in the upcoming parts! :)


	7. Part 1 dash 7

Yay, the new part's here! And yes, I will continue with my initial plan of updating 2-3 times a week. Now, enjoy the part, and thanks for the reviews, guys. ;)

**

* * *

Part 1-7**

_October 20, 2002_

_All is going well...perfect, actually. But soon...I think it is time to deal some real damage. That man with the green hat...he seems like an interesting fellow. I'd like to get to know him more. Let's see how his girlfriend feels when he listens to me._

Daisy went out the front door and entered onto the porch, unwilling to go and look for the back door. Once outside, she immediately spotted Mario. He was far from the house, walking around the impressive expanse of a front yard, about half a football field away.

But she had no time to talk. So she started quickly down the stairs and walked to her right. Immediately she spotted the rusty, old, creepy graveyard in the distance. She wasn't necessarily close to it, but she could tell something...unpleasant was emitting from it.

A little freaked out, she picked up the pace and maneuvered around the outdoor pool, which was partially sheltered by the ceiling - err, the ground of the second floor - above. Supporting it were multiple stone pillars which conveniently lined the perimeter of the pool and kept swimmers safe.

But she wasn't interested in swimming, or the pool, in general, and kept on walking.

Suddenly, Wario and Waluigi came running, heading in the opposite direction as she, "Daisy!" Wario called, "Have you seen Mario or Luigi? We need to tell them something!"

"Uhh-umm..." Daisy was a bit caught off guard, "Well, Mario's out in the front yard...and Luigi's in the storage room, I think,"

And with that, Wario and Waluigi sped off past her. She would have liked to ask them why they seemed so frightened and the reason behind why they needed one of the Mario bros so urgently, but by the time she opened her mouth, they had rushed past her without another word.

_Strange_...

"Flashlights," Luigi said, handing each of the Toads one, "Good luck in the basement...now I've gotta find Daisy..."

Toadsworth nodded him off and started examining his flashlight to ensure he understood what all of the buttons and switches did. The last thing he needed was a malfunctioning flashlight in a deep dark basement.

But Luigi stopped short of the door and turned around, slowly, a confused expression on his face. It took a few moments for the three Toads to notice his strange reaction, and when they did, they couldn't help but wonder why he looked that way, "Is it just me...or did it get really cold in here...?"

The three exchanged looks of strange concern. They weren't really sure why this seemingly harmless question had sounded so frightening to them, but the ultimate point was that it did. And it really creeped them out, "N-no..." Toadsworth stuttered, "Cold?"

"Yeah..." Luigi said, glancing around, "Right here, in particular,"

Out of curiosity, the others had to point him at this point of particular coldness. And when they did...they noticed nothing. It wasn't cold at all. At least not any colder than the rest of the room was...

"Ummm," Toadette said, frowning, "Cold? Not really,"

Luigi squinted his eyes, "That's strange...I'm freezing..." So he decided to take a few steps back into the room to see if he felt any warmer. And...wow! It was warm. Or, at least, normal temperature.

"Feel anything?" Toad asked once he realized what Luigi was doing.

The green-capped plumber nodded his head, "It's fine now,"

Toadette gulped quite audibly and pointed back to the 'cold spot', "Try walking back here,"

And Luigi did just that...and it was normal, "It feels fine," He said, grinning at them, "Now if you'll excuse me..." And with that, he walked out, leaving the remaining three to ask themselves the exact same question: _What just happened_?

Princess Peach was on the third floor, searching through rooms and rooms which seemed filled with useless junk. But the worst part it all had to be the hallway. Something about walking through that creepy corridor, with the thought of Luigi insisting Daisy help him with something, made Peach shiver every time she turned a corner.

The princess stepped through yet another doorway, examining the contents of the room from afar. Hmmm...nothing seemed out of place. So she stepped out the room and back into the hall. Now how could Daisy find this 'terrible thing' and Peach couldn't? It obviously couldn't be too well hidden, could it? After all, Daisy apparently stumbled upon it while looking for Rosalina...so, shouldn't it be right out in the open?

That's what Peach had wanted. So she continued her search towards another unchecked room. Nothing.

On the other side of the hall was another unchecked room, so she went there next, "Oooh," She said as she entered it, "Very cold," And she began to rub her arms in hope to get at least _some_ body heat.

But once getting over the room's coldness, Peach realized something...strange. Not only were part of the walls, floor, and ceiling frosted with ice shavings, but a few rather tattered books lie waiting at a nearby table. Waiting for her, Peach suspected.

So she, as cold as ever, tip toed over to the books, avoiding any frozen patches on the floor. When she came to the table, she reached her hand down for one of the books and grabbed it. A chill ran up her spine as she looked at the cover of the book: '_Phanta's Diary: 1986-1991_'.

Peach gave the book a freaked out look and opened it. Inside were hundreds of pages filled with writing. She figured she had better read at least a few of the passages, but wanted to explore the other books first. So, lying that book down, she put in her hand another one.

'_Phanta's Diary: 1971-1974_'

And then another one.

'_Phanta's Diary: 1978-1982_'

And then a fourth one.

'_Phanta's Diary: 2002-_'

Peach managed a shriek as she flipped open the diary. The first entry was dated two days ago...

* * *

Hoo...I don't think I have to tell you that after all that the next few parts could get _very_ interesting. So, expect an update soon! ;)


	8. Part 1 dash 8

This part's going to be rather interesting. It took a while to write, since...well, you'll see why. But anyway, I'm happy to present you with Part 1-8. Enjoy.

**

* * *

Part 1-8**

"Toadsworth...I can't see a thing," Toad grumbled, trying to find the 'on' switch to his flashlight as they stood at the doorway of the basement.

"Here," He said, turning the flashlight on for him, "Now be careful...both of you. We can't afford anyone to get hurt," And he began to automatically lead the group down the creaky stairs, his flashlight illuminating a small portion of the ground in front of him.

"This is scary," Toadette whispered in Toad's ear as she grabbed one of his shoulders. The stairs didn't look as reliable as they could have been and didn't want to risk falling due to the eroded wood.

The group was about halfway down the set of stairs, which now seemed to bank slightly to the left. Once Toadsworth found his footing, he continued on.

"Where are we?" Toadette whispered, clearly scared.

Toad was about to respond to her question, but he suddenly stopped in his tracks, almost causing the girl to come plummeting down on top of him. He looked in front of him at Toadsworth, who had stopped moving and was in complete awe.

The old man twitched a little bit, "Cold..."

Toad look confused, "What?"

"It's...freezing,"

There was silence for a moment as Toad and Toadette exchanged looks of concern and fright. It was just like what Luigi had felt only minutes before. But, what did it mean?

"Toadsworth..." Toad started, "Are you-,"

"Ohhhh! What is that?" Toadette screamed, pointing behind her, and leaping down onto Toad's stair.

"Woah!"

"Ooof!...Aiigh!"

_Crash_!

Bang!

...

...

...

Daisy was getting a little creeped out in the backyard. There was nothing particularly scary...but just the dark, cold atmosphere of the night, mixed with the impending trees a mere thirty yards from the back of the house was enough to make her jump out of her skin. And yet there was still no sign of Luigi. He was probably on his way...but then again, he might've been searching a different part of the yard. So Daisy decided to turn around and walk quickly back past the side of the house and past the swimming pool. She was, surprisingly, scared. And she knew that her kind-hearted boyfriend would make her feel at least a little more comfortable...

In the front yard, Mario was gone. She wasn't sure where he had went, but she assumed he was searching even farther away from the mansion, probably somewhere near the creepy woods a quarter of a mile away, if that. Wario and Waluigi were probably with him, too...

And now, Daisy noticed, a slight wind started to pick up. The scattered trees in the front yard were bending a little, and, if that wasn't enough, a bright flash of lightning illuminated the sky momentarily.

Even more creeped out, she rushed up to the front door, took a quick look behind her into the front yard, and shook the feeling of fright off of her. She'd no longer be scared if she was in the comfort of the mansion...

So she opened the door, and...

"Luigi!" She jumped, the green capped plumber standing directly in front of her. The flashes of the lightning enabled her to clearly see his face, which looked...a little unlike his normal expression, "Oh, you scared me..." Daisy smiled and reached in to hug him.

But, before she could embrace him, she took one more look at his face...which looked so serious and awkward that she took a frightened step back. His eyes were opened wide, and...he was just staring at her.

_Crash_!

The bright flash of lightning made Daisy jump out of her skin, illuminating Luigi's horrid face once more before she took off down the patio and sped back where she came from. As she rounded the bend toward the pool, she could only hope that this unreal Luigi wasn't following her...

Princess Peach was reading through the Phanta's 2002 diary, horrified.

"'I've seen two foolish men enter the mansion today'..." Peach quoted from the journal, "Mario and Luigi!" She gasped, cupping her mouth with her free hand, "And what's this 'plan' that she's writing about?" Peach asked herself out loud.

And then a thought crossed her mind...was this Phanta girl still alive? And...was she still living in the mansion? But...how? Wouldn't Mario or Luigi have spotted her? And if she wasn't alive...or...if she _didn't_ live in the mansion...then why were her diaries here?

So she decided to flip to the end of the diary. There was a entry there that was dated today! And...it was about Luigi and Daisy! Something bad was happening to them! The Princess slammed the diary shut and threw it back on the table taking a step back, "Who are you?" She asked the air angrily, "And what do you want with my friends?"

There was no reply, of course. Shivering still, Peach slowly approached the table again, now a bit more calm than she was moments ago, "Hmmm..." She thought, perhaps, that she should try and learn more about this 'Phanta' girl. And to do so, she figured...would require reading some of her other diaries...

_July 30, 1972_

_Dear diary,_

_Hi diary! Nice to meet you! My name is Autumn and I'm seven years old. My mom got me this diary today and I can't wait to write stuff in it! I have one dog and one cat. They're really cute. My parents didn't really want a dog, but I got one anyway. My favorite color is blue and my best friend is Cynthia. I've known her my whole life. Well, my mom wants me to eat my lunch write now, so I'll have to write more later. Bye diary!_

"That's cute..." Peach said, smiling a little. Typical seven year old girl, it seems...so when did Phanta - err, _Autumn_ - turn into the evil girl she was today? And why would she put them through the pain they were all suffering? Peach glanced down at the next diary entry.

J_uly 30, 1972_

_Dear diary,_

_I'm done eating! I had a ham sandwich with dark yellow mustard. I also had a glass of water and some chips. Anyway, I think I'm going over to Cynthia's house today. She lives just a few houses away! I can't wait to go see her! Bye for now, diary!_

Peach flipped a few pages to a diary entry written the following month, hoping she could find at least _something_ regarding their current issue.

_August 19, 1972_

_Dear diary,_

_My dad came home screaming at me today. I'm not sure why, because I didn't even do anything! I think it had something to do with his job. Maybe he got fired? I hope not. My mom has also been acting weird, too. She talks with my dad about me. She keeps saying 'We'll have to take care of the issue', and that 'It will happen soon'. What are they talking about?_

"Interesting..."

_August 22, 1972_

_Dear diary,_

_My mom keeps saying the same thing to my dad when they're alone at night. I know they try and hide it from me, but I've learned that they say things about me at night when my dad comes home from work. I hide outside their bedroom and listen as they talk. But, what did I even do? Oh, and my dad got fired. He now works part-time at the town bakery because it was the only job he could find._

Peach flipped the page over and read the next entry.

_August 29, 1972_

_Dear diary,_

_I haven't written in here for a week! And, a lot has happened while I've haven't been writing. My parents talk to me less. They try and avoid me. And I made up my own nickname! I was thinking in the kitchen one night about coming up with my secret agent name. Do you think 'Phanta' sounds good?_

Peach gasped. Just the sound of that horrible name sent shivers up her spine. But she read on...her and her friends' lives possibly depended on it!

_September 3, 1972_

_Dear diary,_

_Tonight was the first time I heard my parents use the name 'Phanta' while talking about me in their bedroom. And, now that I think about it, my parents have only started to avoid me and talk about me ever since I said that word to my mom one afternoon. It was a while ago, and I don't exactly remember when. But, does this all have to do with that name? Why?_

"Creepy," Peach mumbled, glancing at the next entry.

_September 8, 1792_

_Dear diary,_

_While I was playing 'Secret Agents' outside, my mom came over to me and told me to stop calling myself 'Phanta'. But why? And now I have realized that my 'name' my parents have been referring to constantly in their conversations must be 'Phanta', not 'Autumn'._

Peach glanced around the room again. All this ice on the walls...it just seemed to compliment the situation perfectly. A creepy mansion...creepy diaries...and now the coldness of ice. But she read on.

_September 15, 1972_

_Dear diary,_

_My best friend Cynthia just won the jackpot today! Words cannot describe how excited I am! She'll be able to build a big mansion that we can throw slumber parties in! Or a hundred foot long swimming pool! We could even buy all the best toys! I'm so excited!_

"Well that was unexpected," Peach said, her eyebrows risen.

_September 24, 1972_

_Dear diary,_

_Cynthia went missing today! Her parents didn't use any of the money yet, but now Cynthia is all over the newspapers reported as a missing child! Where could she be?_

"Hmmm," Peach squinted her eyes at the diary and thought. This Cynthia girl sure played a bigger role than Peach had once assumed.

_September 29, 1972_

_Dear diary,_

_While I was laying in bed tonight I thought I heard the sounds of screams coming from the basement. I don't know what it was, but I didn't like it. My parents had to lock me in my bedroom while they 'handled the issue'. But, I'm pretty sure I still heard the sounds of faint screams. Something strange is going on._

Peach stared at the diary in shock as she turned the page to read the next entry.

_October 11, 1972_

_Dear diary,_

_Today my parents explained that we were going to receive a very large sum of money because my dad got hired as some kind of professional specialist. I don't believe him, though. Cynthia is still missing, and I think that my parents are up to something._

Peach shivered. Right then and there she wanted to close the book and run right out of that room. But...something compelled her to read on. She had to find out what happened.

_October 19, 1972_

_Dear diary,_

_Something terrible happened today! Cynthia's parents were both found murdered in their house! And Cynthia has not been found yet! I don't know what to do. I fear that maybe she's dead, too?_

Peach gulped. She noticed the next entry was so hardened and cold with ice that it was barely readable.

_October 20, 1972_

_I knew my parents were up to something. I just didn't know what. And now they will pay for what they did. And I will avenge those who have died out of innocence. Today was the day...that my parents murdered me. But even as they lifted that sharp knife over me and said 'Phanta will be banished', I knew I was not done with them. They will pay. And I can't wait._


End file.
